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Morrow County adopts water initiatives, approves next phase of EPA‑funded drinking‑water study
Summary
The Board adopted the Water Advisory Committee’s four initiative recommendations and approved GSI Water Solutions’ Stage 2 scope—about $375,000—to develop drinking‑water connection concepts, targeted well sampling (~30 wells) and public outreach under an EPA grant.
The Morrow County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the Water Advisory Committee’s final report and four recommended county initiatives and approved the Stage 2 scope of work for the county’s EPA‑funded drinking‑water investigation.
Planning Director Tamara Mabot introduced the Water Advisory Committee’s two years of work and the four initiatives: updating comprehensive plan goals 5 and 6; creating a county drinking‑water program led by public health; supporting regional water planning; and partnering in a clean‑water consortium. Ronan of GSI Water Solutions described the Stage 2 work: targeted outreach, about 30 confirmatory well samples to augment Oregon Health Authority data, and engineering concepts for connecting affected domestic well users to existing public water systems. The scope included coordination with Boardman, Arlington/Boardman/ Hermiston public water systems and a May 2025 public workshop to present initial connection concepts.
Board members asked how implementation would be funded. Mabot said some initiatives can be completed in‑house at low cost, others will require contract budgets; the Stage 2 contract ($375,000) was brought forward as part of a previously approved master contract, and the county will use EPA grant funds for this phase. Public‑health director Robin Canaday and committee members stressed that the initiatives and the Stage 2 work are intended as coordinated, county‑led steps to lead toward implementable solutions, not binding commitments to specific projects.
After discussion the board approved Resolution R2024-31 adopting the final water initiatives and policy concepts and authorized the GSI Stage 2 scope of work to proceed.
